Ancient Egypt

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I watched a short report on BBC about the moving of 22 ancient rulers of Egypt to a new museum in Luxor. It's spectacular!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-mid ... t-56625688

I've now found a 2 hour programme with English commentary and sub-titles, to watch over the weekend (starts 10 mins in)

https://dailynewsegypt.com/2021/11/25/l ... -in-luxor/

Viv

[Anita Bensoussane]

I've seen and read bits and pieces about this and it does look spectacular. I'd love to go there one of these days, but the Covid-19 situation puts me off making any trips abroad in the near future.

[Lucky Star]

I visited Luxor as part of three weeks in Egypt many years ago. it was 1992 in fact. I remember it as being the most splendid of the places I visited. I would like to go back but realistically I doubt I ever will as the bucket list is too long and time and money way too short.

[Moonraker]

I'd love to go there one of these days, but the Covid-19 situation puts me off making any trips abroad in the near future.

Especially with this new South African variant, Nu , of which the vaccination is supposed to be ineffective.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The new Covid-19 variant is worrying but I'm sorry to have introduced a note of negativity into this thread. It's actually heartening to see ambitious events and projects like this going ahead, which look to the future (as well as back to the past in this case!) with passion, determination and optimism.

[pete9012S]

I've seen and read bits and pieces about this and it does look spectacular. I'd love to go there one of these days, but the Covid-19 situation puts me off making any trips abroad in the near future.

My wife and I feel exactly the same as you Anita. We would love to visit Egypt one day. We had thought restrictions were starting to ease, making planning foreign trips possible.

But like yourself we are putting definite commitments on hold for the present.

[dsr]

The size of the pyramids has to be seen to be believed. You can't get a handle on it from photos. I believe Egypt is a lot less busy than it used to be because of the various political shenanigans, but when I was there in 2012 and it was superb, and (sadly for the Egyptians but happily for us) there was loads of room in the Valley of the Kings and at the pyramids etc. We were only there for 3 days, all days trips because we were on a cruise, but they were full days. We did have one night in a hotel by the banks of the Nile, near Luxor.

One thing that could have been a bit disconcerting. There were four buses to go from Luxor to the ship (at Safaga) after the day trip, about 4 hours drive, and we were supposed (for safety) to go in convoy with an armed army truck. But our guide was so enthusiastic about his subject (and very interesting with it) that we were late to the rendezvous and had to go it alone. Though we did have a soldier, armed with a very real modern gun, in the front seat of the coach across the aisle from us. I would rather he hadn't been there because, if our coach was to be hijacked, I would prefer it be done peacefully and not with a hail of bullets directed at the man a yard away from me!

Of course, nothing happened. No incident, no apparent danger. Probably the greater danger was that, by choosing to sit in the front seat with nothing between us and the windscreen, which apparently under Egyptian law mean that we were not insured in a crash. Luckily we had a competent driver.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Certainly sounds interesting, Dsr!

Let's hope it's not too long before it's possible to make travel plans again, Pete.

[pete9012S]

Yes, Anita. I think traveling to Egypt and perhaps anywhere else in the near future is going to depend on the world situation and how many times we've been jabbed!

A few years ago my only drawback to vacations was my fear of flying - those were the days!!

[Julie2owlsdene]

It must be amazing to see Egypt and the pyramids and different cultures etc, and their history, but I'm a dull stay in this country person. The desire to travel abroad doesn't seem to be in me at all.

[John Pickup]

I've never been to Egypt but the pyramids sound fascinating.
Don't worry about the booster jabs, Pete, once you've had nine you get a free toaster.

[pete9012S]

Thanks John - getting my third jab on Mon 9th December, but something tells me to hold off booking my cruise on the Nile just yet!

[dsr]

I've never been to Egypt but the pyramids sound fascinating.
Don't worry about the booster jabs, Pete, once you've had nine you get a free toaster.

If you get there, make sure to leave yourself time to look round the boat museum. One of the boats that carried tha pharoah's body or equipment was buried near the pyramid, and was perfectly preserved in the sand. They dug it up and built a museum round it. It still has its original ropes and tackle; it's still rigged, with the ropes still knotted as they were 5,000 years ago.

[Moonraker]

If you get there, make sure to leave yourself time to look round the boat museum.

Our friend Boatbuilder springs to mind here! Do you still build boats?

[Boatbuilder]

No I don't, Nigel. I retired ten years ago this month. Gosh, how time flies!!! It doesn't seem that long.